Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (2024)

Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (1)

Still obsessed with the Great British Bake Off. Even if Mary and Mel and Sue aren’t there.

If I could go anywhere in the world, there is a 99.9% change I would choose the baker’s tent in Berkshire, where I could spend all day making pretty bakes for Mary Berry, herself. Maybe my Victoria Sandwich would be tasty enough to earn me another day in the tent.

What are jaffa cakes?

I had never even heard of jaffa cakes until they made an appearance as the technical challenge on Great British Bake Off. Apparently you can get them at any corner shop in Great Britain. Kind of like my beloved ho hos here in the States. But . . . now that I have had jaffa cakes . . . I am SUPER devastated that I can’t just march down to 7-Eleven for late night munchies. I’m not aware of any American equivalent, but chocolate and orange have always been my favorite. (Hello chocolate orange cake with pistachio mascarpone.) And now jaffa cakes will forever be on my go-to list of fun, individual-sized party cakes.

For those not in the know, jaffa cakes have three main components:

  1. Light sponge cake
  2. Orange “jelly” (think of a more firm gelatin – like the chocolate covered orange sticks you buy at Christmas time)
  3. Semi-sweet chocolate

I’ve included the American measurements for jaffa cakes below, since just about all of the recipes I found online used weighed volume and us weirdos in the States don’t always have a kitchen scale.Miss Mary Berry’s recipe simply used Hartley’s orange jelly . . . which is very difficult to find in the States. Unless you decide to make jaffa cakes in advance and have time to order Hartley’s via Amazon. (Kudos to you. My cravings don’t give me prior notice.) So for my faux American jaffa cake recipe, I experimented with envelopes of plain, unflavored gelatin, which worked like a charm!

I loved these jaffa cakes so much, I’m already wondering about a flavor mix-up. Anybody out there ever tried a raspberry chocolate jaffa cake? Is it still a jaffa cake if it’s not orange?

Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (2)

Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (3)

Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (4)

Steps for How to Make Jaffa Cakes:

  1. Set the eggs out to come to room temperature. (Cheater’s Tip: Place eggs in a bowl of warm tap water if you’re in a hurry.)
  2. Make the orange jelly and chill.
  3. Whip the eggs and sugar to “ribbon” stage. (Tip: Beat at least six minutes. Don’t skimp.)
  4. Fold in the dry ingredients.
  5. Bake the jaffa cakes.
  6. Cut orange jelly disks and place on top of each cake.
  7. Temper chocolate and top each jaffa cake!
  8. Try not to eat them all in 24 hours . . . like I did. O.o

Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (5)

Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (6)

mikaela | wyldflour

12-16 Jaffa Cakes

Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe)

Jaffa Cakes! Light sponge cake topped with orange jelly and semi-sweet chocolate.

1 hrPrep Time

10 minCook Time

1 hr, 10 Total Time

Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (7)Save Recipe

Print Recipe

4.5 based on 2 review(s)

Ingredients

    Jaffa Cake:

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup white granulated sugar (50 g)
  • 1/4 cup + 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour (50 g)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • Orange Jelly Filling:

  • 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons white granulated sugar (75 g)
  • 3/4 cup pure orange juice (180 ml)
  • 2 1/4 envelopes or 5 1/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin powder (18 g)
  • zest of 1 1/2 small oranges
  • Chocolate Topping:

  • 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Set the eggs out to come to room temperature.
  2. Make the filling! Heat orange juice, orange zest, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until just simmering and the sugar has dissolved. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and slowly sprinkle the unflavored gelatin powder into the juice while whisking vigorously and continuously. Pour the jelly into an un-greased 9x13-inch glass baking dish. Chill for at least one hour until set and firm to the touch.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 12-hole, shallow bun tin with soft butter.
  4. Beat the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl for six minutes, until pale, fluffy, and ribbon stage. (Looks like early whipped cream stage - the batter should ribbon off the beaters.) Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and fold into egg mixture.
  5. Spoon two tablespoons of mixture into each bun cup, at least three-quarters full, and smooth the tops. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until well risen and the top of the sponges spring back when lightly pressed. Remove from the oven, let cool in the tin for a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with any remaining batter. (*See Notes.)
  6. Remove the jelly from the refrigerator and use a 2-inch biscuit cutter (or jar lid) to cut at least 12 disks out of the jelly. Use a spoon to carefully scoop the jelly disks up from the bottom of the baking dish. (The jelly will be the consistency of very firm gelatin. Scrape the spoon along the bottom of the dish and peel away the excess jelly from the disks.) Place one disk on each sponge cake.
  7. Melt the chocolate chips by placing them in a small bowl and microwaving at 50% power for 30 second intervals. Stir well after each interval--the last of the chocolate bits should melt as you're stirring. Spoon a tablespoon or so of chocolate onto each jaffa cake, using the back of a spoon to push the chocolate to the edge of the jaffa cake, sealing the orange jelly inside. Set the cakes back on a wire rack to let the chocolate set. When the chocolate is almost set, use the tines of a fork to gently dab the criss-cross pattern on the top.
  8. Store leftovers in an airtight container.

Notes

The yield of this batter will vary greatly, depending on the precise size of your eggs and how diligently you whipped air into them. If you have leftover batter, chill the batter while the first batch bakes and just pop a second batch into the oven! (And remember to cut a number of jelly disks equal to the number of cakes you bake!)

7.8.1.2

144

https://www.wyldflour.com/jaffa-cakes-american-recipe/

wyldflour

Nutrition

Calories

1555 cal

Fat

76 g

Carbs

245 g

Protein

13 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (8)

Disclaimer: Note that the above links may include affiliate links, from which I make a small percentage. However, I personally use the above products and will only recommend something I continue to use, myself. My opinions are 100% my own. Check out my full policieshere.

Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (9)

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (10)Becks says

    Personally, a single tablespoon of batter was enough, two made them too thick. Otherwise this was perfect! Thank you!

    Reply

  2. Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (11)Cathy says

    Just an FYI if you haven't found them in stores, but Big Lots does sell these. They just don't call them jaffa cakes. Enjoy!https://www.biglots.com/product/orange-sponge-cakes-with-jelly-in-chocolate-4-76-oz-/p810213632?pos=1:24

    Reply

    • Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (12)Mikaela says

      <3 <3 <3

      Reply

    • Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (14)Mikaela says

      Hi Lisa! That's correct. Jaffa cakes just have a very thin disk of cake! (A jaffa tin has cups that are only about a 1/4 inch deep!)

      Reply

  3. Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (15)Lisa says

    Can I use regular sized muffin tins?

    Reply

    • Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (16)Mikaela says

      Hi Lisa! You may be able to, but I have not tested the baking time to see if it would differ! The base of the jaffa tin is larger than the base of a muffin cup, so you'll get a slightly different shape and the batter may be slightly deeper! The recipe would be the same, but you'll just have to watch carefully when you're baking the sponge cake!

      Reply

  4. Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (17)Abi says

    When does the baking powder go in?

    Reply

    • Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (18)deb says

      Yes! When does the baking powder go in??

      Reply

      • Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (19)Mikaela says

        Eeks! So sorry I missed this! You sift it into a bowl with the flour! Thanks for catching this!

        Reply

  5. Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (20)Becky Hedgepeth says

    Thank you for this recipe I can't wait to try it. I used to live in Russia and we were able to purchase Jaffa cakes at the corner store. When we moved back to the USA, you can imagine my delight when I found them sold from time to time in the "specials" section at our local Aldi grocery store! If you shop at Aldi, check it out. They come in orange and raspberry and are imported from Germany, where Aldi originates. Whenever they sell them, about 2-3 times a year, I stock up and put in the freezer : )

    Reply

    • Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (21)Mikaela says

      Ahhhhh, Becky I'm so jealous! We have yet to get an Aldi and I, too, stock up on jaffa cakes any time I come across them! You're a genius for putting them in the freezer.

      Reply

  6. Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (22)Sophie Bady-Kaye says

    Delicious! This was the only recipe I could find that explained how to make the jelly without the jelly tablets, which as you mention are very hard to find in the US. I had never made this kind of jelly before, and I accidentally added the gelatin too fast and it clumped a little, I was able to strain it though, and it set fine and turned out great! One question: you've stored them in an airtight container, do you keep them at room temperature, or in the fridge?

    Reply

    • Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (23)Mikaela says

      Hi, Sophie! So happy that you liked them! Great thinking with the strainer--gelatin can be so finicky sometimes! And I store them at room temperature!

      Reply

  7. Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (24)Jennifer says

    You never say when to add the zest to the orange jelly. I

    Reply

    • Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (25)Mikaela says

      Thanks, Jennifer! I've fixed it!

      Reply

  8. Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (26)Rosa says

    I am certain not only would you earn another day in the tent, you’d be the winner!! These are stunning!!

    Reply

    • Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (27)Mikaela says

      Thank you, Rosa! You are too sweet! These are seriously my new favorite. I've already got plans for a raspberry version . . .

      Reply

      • Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (28)Pamela says

        Pim's makes jaffa cakes in both orange and rasberry versions. They are just called European biscuits and are available in Ohio at Heinen's grocery stores. Just an fyi...but will try your recipe as well. Thanks, Pamela (Also a huge fan of the Great British Baking Show) !

        Reply

        • Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (29)Mikaela says

          So jealous! I sometimes am able to find Pim's at World Market. Now you've got me craving some!

          Reply

          • Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (30)Alice Teter says

            Here in Wisconsin I can usually find Pim's European biscuits (aka Jaffa cakes) at both my locally owned supermarket and at Pick 'n Save.. It's one of the things that has disappeared with the pandemic, but I found them on Amazon. The original McVitie's version is also available there, though they're rather more pricey..

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Jaffa Cakes (American Recipe) - wyldflour (2024)

FAQs

Can you get Jaffa Cakes in the USA? ›

Amazon.com: McVities Jaffa Cakes Triple Pack 30 366g : Grocery & Gourmet Food.

What is Jaffa Cake filling made of? ›

Meanwhile, for the filling, in a bowl, mix together the jelly, marmalade and boiling water until the jelly has dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Pour the filling mixture into a shallow-sided baking tray or large dish to form a 1cm/½in layer of jelly.

Are Jaffa Cakes American? ›

Jaffa Cakes are a cake introduced by McVitie and Price in the UK in 1927 and named after Jaffa oranges. The most common form of Jaffa cakes are circular, 21⁄8 inches (54 mm) in diameter and have three layers: a Genoise sponge base, a layer of orange flavoured jam and a coating of chocolate.

What is the orange stuff in Jaffa Cakes? ›

They are thin round disks of a sponge type cake mixture, topped with a thin layer of orange flavoured jelly (hence Jaffa), and topped off with a very thin layer of dark chocolate.

What is the Jaffa Cake lawsuit? ›

In 1991 the sweet treats were subject to what would become a very famous tax dispute with HMRC. HM Customs and Excise had decided that Jaffa Cakes were biscuits, therefore subject to pay VAT, unlike cakes which were classed as a staple food necessity and therefore exempt from the same tax as biscuits.

What legally is a Jaffa cake? ›

Jaffa Cakes are also viewed as a snack, like biscuits, eaten between meals or on the go, while cake is more of a dessert enjoyed at the end of a meal or as a part of a celebration. These qualities all favour the biscuit category – however, Jaffa cakes are officially classified as cakes.

Why do athletes eat Jaffa Cakes? ›

For athletes, Jaffas can indeed provide a necessary energy boost. "This carbohydrate is ideal for athletes, especially during training or a game as it will provide a quick and tasty source of fuel. Energy gels and similar are less palatable so less likely to be consumed in adequate amounts.

What is the jelly stuff in Jaffa Cakes? ›

They were introduced by the iconic McVitie's biscuit company (then McVitie & Price) in 1927. Named after the Jaffa orange that flavors its jelly center, the Jaffa cake consists of three layers: a tiny Genoise sponge for the base, topped by a layer of orange jelly, which is then covered in chocolate.

Are Jaffa Cakes Palestinian? ›

Jaffa Cakes are named after Jaffa oranges. (McVitie's never patented the name Jaffa Cake, so chocolate-and-citrus flavoured confections are often described as 'Jaffa. ') These were developed in Palestine – in and near the port city of Jaffa – during the 1840s.

What is jaffa slang for? ›

(slang) An impotent or infertile male. The term comes from the "seedless" orange. "I've heard he's a jaffa." Wiktionary. (cricket) A ball that is very difficult for the batsman to hit because it moves erratically either through the air or off the pitch.

Is Jaffa Cakes Serbian? ›

Jaffa Crvenka is a Serbian food company specialized in confectionery products and headquartered in Crvenka, Serbia. Its best-known product is Jaffa Cakes, based on the original McVitie's cakes and sharing the same name. d.o.o.

What is the difference between a biscuit and a Jaffa Cake? ›

The product's name: it contains 'cake' The ingredients: Jaffa Cakes contain flour, eggs and milk, thus making them a cake. The product's texture: cakes are soft, whereas biscuits are hard and can be snapped. Jaffa Cakes have the consistency of a sponge cake.

Can you buy Jaffa Cakes in the United States? ›

Do they have Jaffa cakes in the USA? You can buy them in the foreign food aisle of any larger supermarket, or in smaller mom-and-pop international markets. Aldi's often carries them. They are very nice there.

What is special about Jaffa? ›

As an Arab majority city in the Ottoman era, Jaffa became known starting from the 19th century for its expansive orchards and fruits, including its namesake Jaffa orange. It was also a Palestinian hub for journalism in Mandatory Palestine in the 20th century, where Falastin and Al-Difa' newspapers were established.

What country are Jaffa Cakes from? ›

Jaffa Cakes
A Jaffa Cake cut in half
Alternative namesJaffa
Place of originUnited Kingdom
Region or stateAll Regions
Created byMcVitie and Price
4 more rows

What countries are Jaffa Cakes sold in? ›

Although originating from the UK, McVitie's Jaffa Cakes are sold internationally, in countries such as Ireland and Australia (as confirmed by an Australian Yognau(gh)t in "Letters From the Yognau(gh)ts").

What has happened to Jaffa Cakes? ›

In terms of measurement, Jaffa Cakes have been reduced from 5.5cm to 5cm across - while the orange filling has retracted from 4cm to just 3cm. It means that the always feared 'shrinkflation' - in which a product's size is reduced while the price stays the same - has finally started to hit biscuits and cakes alike.

What aisle are Jaffa Cakes in? ›

McVitie's Jaffa Cakes are the original cake in the biscuit aisle! Dark crackly chocolate on the top, light sponge on the bottom and that tangy orangey bit in the middle.

What is British food Jaffa Cakes? ›

The traditional Jaffa cake is something of a British icon. Known as biscuits in Britain and called cookies in the United States, these treats have a layer of sponge topped with a sweet orange jelly and finished off with plain chocolate (semi-sweet chocolate).

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